Ten people, including some from evangelistic ministry Repent America, showed up Thursday at the San Francisco City Hall to protest against the same-sex marriages. Even though eight were forced out and two were jailed, protesters who supported unions between man and woman returned to City Hall on Friday, this time 11 people strong.
Beginning at 11:30 AM, the Christian protestors blockaded the entrance to the clerk’s office of City Hall, where the same-sex marriage licenses were being issued by the city of San Francisco. The same-sex marriages have been declared illegal under California State law.
"In this city, especially, people can do as they want to do," said Michael Marcavage, a field preacher for Repent America. "There's judicial tyranny. There's all kinds of forms of disobedience, and we're standing here today to uphold God's law."
On Friday, a hearing was held for a combination of three cases including that made by the Campaign for California Families against the city’s issuance of same-sex marriage licenses. After a few hours in the San Francisco Civic Courtroom, Superior Court Judge Ronald Quidachay adjourned the hearing without any conclusions, rescheduling another hearing on March 29.
Marcavage and ten other protestors succeeded in holding their ground at the City Hall as they sang about Jesus and defended their stance with the Bible. Although the sheriff’s department declared the gathering unlawful and threatened all protestors with arrest 15 minutes after the groups arrived there, the pro-conservatives continued the sharing their Biblically-based views outside.
They wore shirts with slogans such as “Trust Jesus” and held signs that referred to homosexuality as a sin. One member of Repent America, Jason Storms, wore a sweater, in which the image of the word “homo” being crossed out, similar to the way a no-smoking sign would a cigarette, translates into the message, “No Homo”.
Repent America, based in Philadelphia, Penn., the birthplace of America, help to make America a true nation under God, by following the will of God and adhering to the teachings of the Bible in discourse and practice.
"This isn't marriage at all," one protestor said. "This is just two women in lust. This is two burning in their lust toward one another."
The ministry’s representatives were also joined in protest by a couple from Oregon who came to San Francisco to get married. Scott Sommerfeld and Eric Simpson disagreed with those arguing for same-sex unions.
"They are wrong in this, and I will pray for them," Simpson said. "I feel for them, that there is that much hate and bitterness."
Protester Keith Mason, also of Repent America, noted homosexuality would bring a burden of problems upon America.
"If we don't have a good family unit, we cannot stand as a nation. A man and a man cannot produce children. A man and a man produce disease," said Mason.
In the “About Us” section of the ministry’s webpage (www.repentamerica.com), Marcavage specified the mission of Repent America. “We must lift up our voice like a trumpet. We must go out into the world and declare the word of God [at] sin celebrations and call them to repentance. Our light must invade the darkness!”
Repent America said they will be back for more protests at City Hall.
